After years of fans clamoring, Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff is finally getting her own movie in the form of the prequel more MCU characters could get prequels as well.
While many characters have already gotten an origin story movie, and others such as James Rhodes may have their past explored in Disney+ shows, there are still plenty of characters whose previous adventures would make compelling movies. As with Black Widow, these prequels do not necessarily need to be origin stories, just films that are set prior to the present continuity of the main timeline.
Black Panther
After a terrific introduction in Black Panther was a tremendous success. With the unfortunate ing of Chadwick Boseman, Marvel is not able to focus on T'Challa in a sequel but could possibly consider a prequel.
A potential Black Panther prequel could either focus on the lineage of the Black Panther mantle, highlighting one of Wakanda's previous warrior kings, or it could follow a young T'Challa on an adventure early in his tenure as the Black Panther.
Rocket & Groot
By the time that they were introduced in Groot had clearly already been through numerous adventures together and developed a strong friendship. But other than learning that Rocket was the subject of experimentation, audiences have been given very little details about their pasts.
The characters are fan favorites who audiences would love to see more of. Marvel could easily sell these fans on a prequel depicting Rocket's tragic backstory that he alluded to, Rocket and Groot meeting and becoming friends, and/or the duo's dealings in the criminal underworld.
Agatha Harkness
Bursting onto the scene with the WandaVision. But while her origin in the Salem witch trials was shown, the rest of the character's past is still a mystery.
She clearly spent time mastering her craft, encountering other magical beings, and studying the legend of the Scarlet Witch. There are hundreds of years between the time she killed her coven and when she showed up in Westview that could be explored in a prequel.
Thanos
As Gamora and Nebula.
Thanos is the hero of his own story, and it would be fascinating to watch his ascent from an environmental activist on Titan to a warlord who comes to believe that he must collect all of the Infinity Stones by any means necessary in order to save the universe.
Grandmaster
Introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, the Grandmaster is the eccentric ruler of the trash planet Sakaar, forcing people to engage in gladiator-style battles for his own amusement. He is a strange, sinister, and hilarious character who made a lasting impression on audiences.
A Grandmaster prequel movie could show his early days, growing up with his brother Taneleer Tivan, the Collector. It could also explore his arrival on Sakaar, his ascent to power, the installation of his regime, and the institution of the gladiator battles.
The Hulk
Since The Incredible Hulk, Marvel has taken the approach of only using the Hulk as a side character (due in part to rights issues with Universal Studios). As such, there are several large gaps in the character's history that could be filled in with a Black Widow-style prequel.
One prime candidate for this would be an adaptation of one of Endgame.
Yondu
A crucial element of Yondu's redemption arc in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was his acceptance back into the Ravagers, earning a traditional Ravenger Funeral at the end of the movie. As part of this arc, audiences were introduced to his former crew including Stakar Ogord, Mainframe, and Krugarr, who alluded to their past together.
This could form the basis for a potential prequel movie that explores Yondu's initiation into the Ravagers, his missions with the crew, and the eventual falling out that they had over his kidnapping of children.
Howard The Duck
While his past in the MCU is a mystery, Howard the Duck somehow ended up in the Collector's collection in Guardians of the Galaxy, before being freed and eventually ing the Avengers for their climactic battle against Thanos.
In the comics, Howard the Duck comes from Duckworld, a planet similar to Earth but populated by anthropomorphic ducks. He is a funny and sarcastic character with a colorful past that could be explored in a prequel film that explains how he got from Duckworld to the Collector's collection.
Hela
In Thor: Ragnarok, Hela is revealed to have played an instrumental part in Odin's conquest and dominion over the Nine Realms before eventually leading a civil war against Odin. Even after Odin banished her to Hel, she attempted to escape, killing all the Valkyrie in the process.
A prequel film that chronicled this rise to power and conflict with Odin could tell more of the cosmic history of the MCU while fleshing out important characters such as Hela, Odin, and Brunnhilde, providing battle scenes on a massive scale.
Isaiah Bradley
In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it was revealed that, during the Korean War, the US government gave the Super Soldier Serum to Isaiah Bradley, who then spent the rest of his life facing discrimination, incarceration, and experimentation before finally getting the credit he deserved at the end of the series.
In the series, he mentions events such as saving his unit from a POW camp and battling against the Winter Soldier, who was still under Hydra's control at the time. The character deserves a prequel movie that explores the heroics and adversity that Isaiah Bradley faced.
